i do not think they can get the big mega deal the president is talking about. i think they are going to have a hard time getting a mid sized deal. i think they can come up with a short term, interim package in which it requires some compromise by democrats and republicans. but the president has to compromise too. if the choice is between a default and a short term deal, there's no question he ought to go for the short term deal. >> i'm not sure these guys can figure out how to pay a parking ticket. james, you are the brilliant strategist here. one of my concerns out, and you tell me if i'm crazy. it seems to me like both sides are banking on winning, that they're going to be able to prove to everybody that they really were willing to do something and it was the other side that kept it from going forward, that they're going to win with their base. >> as far as david and senator simpson did a good job. they were calling for one-third in tax increases. what the republicans turned out and the president was talking about something between 20 and 25%. they couldn't e